Do you know that 15% of the population are deaf to some extent? Out of every 10,000 people, 10 will be extremely deaf and 100 will be partially deaf.
For most people, finding it a bit harder to hear is just normal wear and tear, a fact of life. One in five people over 55 has difficulty hearing and that figure rises to one in two for those over the age of 65.
Hearing is one of our most vital but also most neglected senses. Nearly nine million adults in the UK have some level of hearing loss and over three million of them could enjoy better hearing with the help of a hearing aid. What is important is that everyone has the health of their ears and their hearing levels checked on a regular basis as they would with their eyes.
April 2011 saw the results of a ground breaking study showing that 39% of people who consult their GP about their hearing loss do not go any further to seek a solution which means millions are battling with isolation, withdrawal, problems at work, depression, low self-esteem and a host of other negative consequences. Much of this comes down to the lack understanding and awareness surrounding deafness.
Deaf Awareness Week 2012 will be taking place Monday 7th to Sunday 13th May 2012. It’s an annual event co-ordinated by the UK Council on Deafness, the UK’s leading membership body for organisations concerned with deafness, aiming to raise awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding hearing loss and deafness.
Supported by over 100 deaf charities and organisations across the country, including Hidden Hearing, Deaf Awareness Week is promoted with a number of events, all with the aim of educating and informing deaf people and their family, friends and colleagues.
The first step in rediscovering clearer hearing is to get your hearing tested. There are two channels you can go down to seek help – you could visit your local GP who will refer to you to your local audiology department, or seek private help from one of the many private hearing healthcare providers in your area.
So what is the best route to take? Firstly a hearing test with the NHS or private healthcare provider should be free and whatever route you choose to take, you will be seen by a hearing aid dispenser, a person appropriately trained and qualified to carry out the hearing test.
If your check up shows that you do have a hearing difficulty you can address it sooner rather than later and start to enjoy life to the full once again!